ESET protects against WannaCry

What is WannaCry ransomware?

On May 12, 2017, a ransomware attack known as WannaCry (detected by ESET as Win32/Filecoder.WannaCryptor.D) spread rapidly across the globe.

When WannaCry touches a user’s computer, it encrypts all its files, effectively locking them up and making them unavailable to the victim. A ransom is demanded in the form of Bitcoin in exchange for restoring access to the files.

The price for unlocking the data and hardware increases with time. If the payment isn’t made by the deadline, the computer is rendered permanently inaccessible.

Why you need ransomware protection

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) had received nearly 7,700 public complaints regarding ransomware since 2005, totaling $57.6 million in damages. Those damages include ransoms paid—generally $200 to $10,000, according to the FBI—as well as costs incurred in dealing with the attack and estimated value of data lost. In 2015 alone, victims paid over $24 million across nearly 2,500 cases reported to the IC3.